a little NFE commentary

[rthstewart]

So, let’s see.  I realized I should probably put up a few notes about my NFE’s.  I had a terrible time with posting and I’ve had to do a lot of RL writing.  But it's done and up and one part of it in particular, Katyn, deserves special discussion.

Comments

[andi_horton]

I also ended up shipping them very hard (they are very physical with one another so if you want to read something into it, please do and I want to read your fic), but the affection that should have been there just didn’t come out.

See for me, this made it work. Because we do NOT see Peggy as a very demonstrative, affectionate person; the handful of tender looks she has for Steve are not public ones, and when his affection for her is publicly perceived (in the newsreel, for example) she is visibly uncomfortable with it. As a result I've inserted my own headcanon that she cannot be these stereotypically feminine things--demonstrative, affectionate--if she wants to keep knocking those doors down, and so that chapter held up VERY well for me as a result.

I think that the sort of affection Peggy is best able to offer, given her circumstances, is that of self-protection in a time of staggeringly high casualty rates. It may not be conventional affection, but I see it as the best gift she has to give anyone, and to see her give that to Susan--yes. It works. Very well.

Save the soft looks for after wartime, and all that, eh?

[rthstewart]

I really appreciate your thoughts on that. I really appreciate you reading and commenting. I was so frustrated with this part of the story and really very down on the whole thing, especially when I got a lot of "meh, didn't bother reading" response from a few quarters. Peggy and Susan were hard and I was so happy that intrikate liked it!

[andi_horton]

She really did! And she enthused a lot at me about it, in fact, which made me all the more resolved to double down and see how it went for myself. I am so glad she did, and so glad you wrote it: it was a real pleasure.